When asked after the race if the team had made progress with their chatter issue Stoner pointed to improvements with the rear end, but admitted that a front end solution continues to evade his Repsol Honda squad.

Stoner and team-mate Dani Pedrosa had tried a new chassis during practice at Assen.

"We're still using the same [parts] we've been using all season," said Stoner. "In the last race [at Silverstone] we reduced the rear chatter but we still haven't fixed it. We still haven't fixed the front either.

"We made a small step before the race that improved the front chatter slightly but for me the front tyre still has no stability. When you go in and brake hard it wants to fold or chatter.

"I'm still not impressed at all with the front tyre and I don't think I will be throughout the whole season. But everyone is now on the same tyre so we have to try and find some way to make it work."

"But no, we haven't fixed any problems."

A smiling Stoner also responded "the new Bridgestone front tyre" when asked what had caused the number of accidents seen in Saturday's grand prix.

After laughter in the press room had died down, Pedrosa added: "It's funny, but it's kind of true. At the start of the race a lot of times the front was just closing - in slow corners, fast corners, right or left.

"Any corners, the front just gave up. It seems like not a racing tyre, but we are trying to do our best. I don't know how the crashes were in the race, but I believe from the front"

Stoner's victory saw him level the championship standings with Jorge Lorenzo, with Pedrosa now just 19 points from the top in third.